A true perfectionist, I am very glad I found Andrea through reviews. I have had many shellac manicures only to be disappointed every time. From peeling of the polish within a week to damaged nails to a really poor application. As it turns out not all gel polishes are Shellac which now makes perfect sense. If it is not CND it is not Shellac! As Andrea says, you pay for what you get! I would agree with all the other reviewers, that Shellac Nails by Andrea is the best in Melbourne. I will not trust my nails with anybody else!

Approximate cost: $50

I have had countless of manicures with shellac only to have it last for a few days or just over a week not to mention weak and damaged after peeling up or chipping off. I had given up thinking that shellac is useless and a waste of time and money. A noticed a new colleagues nails looked fantastic for 3 weeks, I asked her what she had on and to my surprise she said CND Shellac. I asked her what she meant by CND, she said it was the real Shellac not opi gel or gelac that a lot of salons are using and that an amazing nail tech called Andrea in North Fitzroy is where to get the best CND Shellac manicure in Melbourne. She got my attention! I called Andrea and made an appointment (I had to wait 3 weeks to get an evening appointment but was well worth it!) and was still skeptical after all the bad manicures I have endured. Right from the get go I was put at ease, Andrea explained the difference between what others are calling shellac and what really is shellac. CND Shellac is the correct product. Andrea prepped and cleaned my nails to perfection which is apparently imperative to get the best possible outcome and longevity of the product. Andrea used solar oil on my nails after the manicure and explained the importance of it and why it is important to use it. I have had my CND Shellac polish on for 19 days and apart from the growth they are still looking fantastic! No chipping, no peeling! I agree with my colleague that Andrea definitely does the best Shellac nails in Melbourne!

Approximate cost: $58

I found Andrea through a lady I stopped in the supermarket. Her nails looked so fantastic that I just had to ask 'are they your real nails'! She was lovely and shared her secret with me... Nail Couture by Andrea! From reading others reviews, I too have been the victim of not knowing that there is in fact only CND Shellac and that the other products are falsely referred to as Shellac. My nails looked nothing like the lady that referred me to Andrea. Instead they were very damaged and weak not to mention the application looked like I had done it myself! Thanks to Andrea who has explained it all to me and has now restored my nails and they look fabulous! I am preaching Nail Couture by Andrea to anyone that asks about my nails. Thank you Andrea, I simply wouldn't go anywhere else. You are the only shellac nails salon in Melbourne that I will allow to touch my nails! xxx

Approximate cost: $50

I found Andrea through womo, there were so many great reviews and the salon is within walking distance so that was a big plus!

A couple of weeks ago I had CND Shellac applied while away in Daylesford. There was little positive to take away from the experience, except for the lovely colour of the Shellac.

I sent Andrea a query through her website, very late on Monday night, hoping to make an appointment for the coming Saturday to have my Shellac removed and redone. Andrea phoned midday on Tuesday to schedule the appointment, unfortunately she was fully booked on Saturday but was very accommodating and booked me in for a late appointment the next day (Wednesday).

As soon as I sat down and noticed that Andrea had her own nails painted with Shellac I felt confident! I've never understood manicurists I have been to that don't have their own nails manicured, it's your best marketing tool!

Andrea confirmed that while she could tell that I'd had genuine CND Shellac applied, the nail hadn't been prepped properly which contributed to the Shellac being applied so far from the cuticle (rather than 2 1/2 weeks of regrowth, it looked more like 5!).

Andrea took her time shaping my nails and prepping them, explaining all the while about the product, proper care for maximum wear time and even why the nails needed to be slightly longer to allow the Shellac to seal. The paintwork was exceptional - right down to the cuticle and coverage all over the nail, thanks to the close attention my nails received before painting.

Even though I'd never met Andrea before, I felt like I'd known her a long time, she made me feel very comfortable and quite obviously knows her product inside and out.

This is honestly the best manicure I have ever had, I re-booked for my next appointment that night I was so impressed. I recently moved into the area and am grateful to have found such a professional so close to home!

Approximate cost: $50

I am absolutely thrilled with Andrea and her skills. Never before have my nails been done to perfection. The perfect shape and neatest paintwork. I am amazed and thrilled that my friend recommended Nail couture by Andrea to me. Andrea is a professional, neat and gorgeous lady who took the time to explain to me that my damaged nails was due to the improper use of buffers and acetone used to remove gel polishes. I now know that opi gel is not shellac, CND shellac polish is the only product that should be called shellac. It has been over 2 weeks and my nails still look great and the compliments are flooding in. Thank you Andrea, you have a client for life!

Approximate cost: $50

had my nails done here once for a wedding i was going to, must say i was absolutely thrilled with the end result. ive been to many nails places before and never walked out as happy as i did from here. the lady was so nice and easy to talk to aswell.

I was travelling to Melbourne for a friend's wedding from Edinburgh, Scotland. I did some internet research to find a nail technician near where I would be attending the wedding. It turned out Andrea wasn't so close to where I was staying however the service I received made the distance travelled well worth while. I made an appointment for the day before the wedding by email and Andrea responded very quickly despite the time differences. A few days before she emailed to ask how my nails were growing and if she needed to adjust the appointment to include time for any repairs as I had let her know that my nails break very easily. Luckily they hadn't!
When I arrived we discussed the colour I wanted, Andrea has lots of samples available, not just of the standard colours that Shellac sell but also of [what I presume are] her own creations made by layering different Shellac colours on top of each other. We found one which matched my dress nicely, a combo of two colours.
I was so impressed with the manicure I received that two weeks later, shortly before I was due to leave to return to the UK I decided, at short notice, to email Andrea to try to get another appointment to replace my colour with a French manicure. Andrea responded very quickly again and was able to fit me in the next day.
When I returned it seemed a shame to take the colour off as it was just as good as the day she had applied it however I can't have fancy nail colours for my job so it had to go.
The difference I noticed about the manicure I received from Andrea and those I have had from others is the time she spends preparing the nails before application of the product, she is very, very thorough and absolutely meticulous!
My only regret about my whole experience is that I discovered this lovely lady living on the other side of the world and now I can't go to her every time I need my nails done. She is far superior to any nail technician I have visited at home and I can't recommend her highly enough.

Approximate cost: $55-$60

Andrea truly is the best. I have tried many salons in the past 4 months for a Shellac manicure and they have only lasted a few days to a week. Turns out I have been having opi gel and gelish which is not shellac. If it is not CND Shellac then you are not getting the correct product. Look no further than Andrea, my Shellac mani now lasts up to 3 weeks...genius! Thank you Andrea, definitely the best in Melbourne x

Approximate cost: $50

I visited Andrea 2 weeks ago after seeing her amazing reviews. After 5 failed attempts from various different salons to have a Shellac manicure that 1.looked like a 5 year applied it 2. used fake Shellac 3. lifted off within the week and 4. Charged me a ridiculous amount (one reputable place in the city charged $95!) I was almost feeling defeated and didn't think that I would find anyone that could do what CND Shellac promised....give me chip-free, glossy 2 week wear until I met Andrea! As soon as I sat down I knew that I was in great hands. Everything from the UV machines to the colour, top and bottom coats were authentic. Andrea explained the process in great detail and I immediately knew why this lady is so popular and had no question that I had now found my new best friend! 2 weeks on and my Shellac Manicure is still going strong. Thank you Andrea for regaining my trust in the industry. Your name is the one I praise to anyone that notices my nails and I can promise you there have been plenty!!

Approximate cost: $45-$50

Polite, punctual, knowledgeable and extremely talented and passionate about nails. My experience with Andrea having a Shellac manicure has truly given me faith in nail technicians and in the product. I nearly gave up with Shellac until I visited Andrea and thanks to her and her passion in the product explained to me (like she has to a lot of others judging by the reviews) that the product that was ruining my nails was not shellac and actually other generic brands that other salons are calling Shellac. Why can't people just tell you the truth? Thanks to Andrea I now have the REAL, AUTHENTIC CND SHELLAC and now that I have seen it you can truly see the difference in quality of product and the quality in Andrea's work is flawless. My nails look absolutely amazing and I just cant stop looking at them! You are a genius Andrea, you now have a client for life!!

Approximate cost: $45-$50

In one word....AMAZING! Never have my nails looked so good!! I can't believe that I have just put up with other shellac manicures thinking that that was as good as my nails can get. It's all in the nail technician that does the Shellac manicure for you. Andrea preps your nails to perfection, my nails have never looked so clean. She is a perfectionist at Shellac manicures. She is meticulous with the application and the end result = PERFECTION!! Don't look for anyone else for Shellac manicures, Andrea is the lady you have been looking for!

Approximate cost: $45-$50

I am not in the habit of writing reviews, in fact I have signed up on WOMO just to right this review. I found Shellac Nails by Andrea through this website. I am so impressed with Andrea's work that I can't stop praising her to anyone that compliments my nails (which is a lot of people!) and anyone that will listen! Her work is meticulous...perfect no polish out of line. I like that I leave the salon with nails that look like a professional has painted them. I cant tell you how many time I have left other salons, paid good money only to have them look like my four year old painted them for me or they have lied to me and used the fake product. Andrea uses only the best, the authentic CND Shellac and is also a CND Shellac education ambassador so you know your in the best of hands with Melbourne's top nail professional. Since seeing Andrea my nails have never been better. Thank you Andrea for my gorgeous nails and great conversations! I look forward to my 45 minutes with you every two and half weeks xx

Approximate cost: $45

Andrea is my Nail Fairy! After visiting numerous nail salons to have a shellac manicure, I would always leave disappointed and would swear never to return. Either it looked like I was having my nails done by a 7 year old or after a couple of days my shellac manicure would look like it was a month old. After reading the reviews on Andrea I knew I had to book in. I had to wait 2 weeks to get an appointment as she was totally booked out but the wait was worth it. I call Andrea my Nail Fairy, right from the beginning I knew that she was a shellac and nail professional and now know the difference from the real Shellac and fake products that other salons are referring to as Shellac. I was talked through the whole process and given some valuable advice on how to care for my nails. You will not be able to stop starring at your nails after your visit with Andrea...pure genius!

Approximate cost: $53 including bottle of solar oil

I can't put into words the gratitude I have for Andrea. The most professional, gorgeous manicurist who went out of her way to fix the damage that was created by other nail salons by using fake Shellac on me and telling me it was Shellac. Thank you for restoring my faith in the product and for the end result. The amount of compliments my nails are attracting is overwhelming! You are my one and only manicurist from now on, thank you xx

Approximate cost: $45-$50

Andrea is an amazing lady! Very professional and knows Shellac and bio sculpture gel so well. Without doubt the best nail technician I have ever been to. Being a Shellac educator, Andrea clearly knows the product well and her work is perfect every time! Andrea is the only nail tech that has my Shellac manicure looking perfect for weeks. i recommend Andrea to all my friends and to all that compliment my now amazing nails. I live in Brighton and will continue to travel to Andrea in Fitzroy North, she is worth it! Thanks a million Andrea, my nails have never looked so good xox

Approximate cost: $45-$50

I went to see Andrea after my nails had been ruined by something that was supposed to be shellac but clearly wasn't.
Andrea is clearly a professional, she likes to have a chat and is really friendly but not overbearing, if you don't really know what you want, she is ready to experiment and give you the exact color that suits you. I've been doing my nails for years but for the first time I actually enjoyed my experience. 5 stars.

Approximate cost: $45

Delightful, super effecient and EXTREMELY knowledgeable...! I could go on and on but in a 3-letter word Andrea is a GEM :-) As a shellac virgin and a victim of horrific nail techs in the past I found Andrea thought googling and trusting the feedback on this website and I was not dissappointed.
I drove 40mins to an early morning appt on a saturday and was greeted with a smile and an attitude that I could not fault. Not only that within less than an hour I was out the door and on to the next appt for the day with the most immaculate manicure I have ever had!
Seriously if you are looking for the best DO NOT go any further that Andrea and DEFINITELY do not consider even going anywhere else!

in two words...THE BEST! I live in South Yarra and you would think that I would be able to find a nail salon near me that offers the REAL Shellac and 5 star service. I found Shellac Nails by Andrea through Google and her reviews and she has lived up to all the hype. If you want an immaculate job, with the real CND Shellac Andrea is the nail tech for you! She is lovely and explains in detail the products she is using and how to look after your Shellac nails. Andrea also cleans up your nails with a manicure every single time you see her before applying Shellac. I don't care if Andrea was in Bendigo I would still go to her. Thank you for AMAZING Shellac nails! xx

Approximate cost: $45-$50

AMAZING!! THE BEST!! Andrea is a genius, her work is perfect. Andrea is a gorgeous, professional lady that takes pride in her work and it shows. Andrea uses only the REAL Shellac, not this fake gel product that other salons are using even though they tell you its Shellac. Andrea can transform even the ugliest of nails to beautiful! My nails have never looked better and the compliments are are a change for me. Thanks you Andrea for restoring my faith in Shellac and nail techs xx

Approximate cost: $45

Andrea is the best nail tech in Melbourne, no comparison!! I have had Shellac manicures at 4 other salons who did the worst job and shellac peeled off after 5 days! Turns out these other salons are using fake generic products that are called gelac, gelish or bluesky and are not CND Shellac... They just call them that as we wouldn't know any better and believe in what they say. These nasty fakes have formaldehyde (used to preserve dead people!) and acrylic. These nasty toxins are dangerous and damage the nails whereas CND Shellac is toxic free and ads strength and protection to the nails without any damage. From the first Shellac manicure I had with Andrea I knew she was different. She takes pride in her work and is a perfectionist! My Shellac nails looked amazing and I couldn't stop staring at them for days after not to mention the amount of compliments I got. So far I'm on to my third week, amazing!!!

Approximate cost: $45

The best nail tech in Melbourne! I went to Andrea after reading all the fantastic reviews. It's great to see that after all the bad experiences Andrea has restored my faith in nail techs. She takes the time to explain the process and educates you on on how to spot fake shellac products. It's great to find someone who is passionate at what they are doing and it shows at the end result, my Shellac nails look perfect even after 3 weeks!

Approximate cost: $40-$45

I don't normally write reviews but I think Nail Couture by Andrea is worth the time and effort. I was referred to Andrea by a lady I had complemented on having gorgeous nails and she gave me Andrea's card and told me that she was the Shellac specialist of Melbourne. I have had what I thought was Shellac and my nails were damaged as I had fallen victim to 'gellac and gelish' which are not a Shellac product. It is a fraud/fake that is acrylic based and has harmful toxins which Shellac does not. The nail salon that I had been tricked by would file or soak the product off in a bowl of acetone hence severely damaged nails. Andrea from Nail Couture has restored my faith in loyalty and good service. My nails are now strong and healthy and I have the 'real' Shellac on not a fake. I would recommend Andrea to anyone that wants a great job and gorgeous looking nails.

Approximate cost: $45

This is the first occasion I have used a business that I found entirely via WOMO, and it has been a very positive experience.

I'd been wanting to have my nails done professionally for some years, but had been reluctant because of all the horror stories one hears. Choice Magazine did an article on this subject a few years ago, spelling out all the things that can go wrong if you are unlucky enough to be serviced by an inadequately trained or careless nail technician: over-trimmed cuticles, fungal infections, and other assorted nasties. Yeechhh. Reading that article almost put me off nail salons for life. There are several nail salons in my suburb, but no way was I just going to choose one at random. I decided I would only visit a nail salon which came with not one, but several recommendations - and that's where WOMO came in. I chose Andrea's business because the reviews on WOMO were universally positive.

First impressions were good. Andrea's website is well laid out, with clear and detailed information about the services she offers. The site is also very upfront regarding prices. One thing I felt was lacking on the site - and I told Andrea this during my first appointment - was a direct comparison of Shellac vs Bio Sculpture. (Things such as: which one gives a neater result, which one lasts longer, which has a greater range of colours, which one is better if your nails are short / long / bitten / thin / flaky / ridged, which one leaves your nails in a better natural condition after the product is removed, and so on.) This would help customers like me who are not familiar with either product, or have experience with one but not the other. In any case, I decided to put myself and my nails in Andrea's hands, and let her use her professional judgement to decide which was more suitable for me.

Andrea was friendly and welcoming when I arrived for my appointment, and she maintains a spotless and comfortable work area. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that there were none of those pungent acrylic fumes that just about knock you over when you go past the doorway of most other nail salons. (Pity the poor people who work in those places.)

On seeing my nails, Andrea recommended shellac, which is the cheaper of the two options, and she did a beautifully neat job. I was very pleased with the result, and astounded at how quick it was. Each coat of shellac literally dries in seconds under the UV lamp, so there is no chance of smudging.

I would have liked a greater choice of colours. Shellac only comes in about 25 colours, several of which I did not like at all (blue, purple, teal, brown, black). Some of the remaining colours were nice enough, but none was exactly what I was looking for. However, Andrea says that the manufacturers (CND) are continually increasing their colour range, and in time we should be able to expect several more colours.

Andrea gave me some advice on aftercare (nothing too difficult: mainly, be careful using suntan oils and personal insect repellants, because they can eat into the shellac). She said that if the aftercare instructions were followed, she was confident the shellac would last two weeks. Often it lasts longer, but anything after two weeks should be considered a bonus.

She was absolutely correct. For two weeks, the painted areas of my nails looked as beautifully neat and perfect as when I stepped out of the salon. Lovely and shiny; not a chip, not a dent, not a scratch. On Day 14, a tiny crack appeared at the edge of one nail, followed by a tiny v-shaped fragment of polish flaking away, and I thought - is this the beginning of the chipping that usually happens with conventional nail polishes long before now? But I was wrong. An hour or so after that chip of polish came away, a chip of the nail directly underneath it also came away. In other words, the flaw was not in the polish, but in the nail; that nail had been in the process of breaking, and it showed up in the polish first.

I went back for my follow-up visit exactly four weeks after the first appointment. By then the colour was very slightly faded on the nail tips, and the finish not quite as glossy as it had been for the first two weeks, but apart from the tiny bit of broken nail, the painted areas of my nails were still as perfectly neat and tidy as they were on Day 1. Still no chips, no dents, no scratches - and that was after four full weeks of normal wear and tear. I have no doubt that if my broken nail had stayed intact, the polish on it would have stayed intact too. This is a very robust product.

And I haven't altered my usual activities in any way to protect my nails either: I've grabbed at keys, played the piano, lifted ring-pulls on the lids of cans, peeled prawns, dug away at those annoying foil and plastic seals that are cemented on to so many condiment bottles these days... the shellac polish has stood up to all of that and more. I'm not sure whether it's the product itself or the skill of Andrea's application, but I've found that shellac really is every bit as hard-wearing as it is claimed to be.

Since it stands up to normal wear and tear exceptionally well, the main determinant of how long the product will last appears to be your rate of nail growth. If your nails are already the length you want them to be, and are very slow-growing, then consider yourself lucky: you may be able to get many weeks out of a single shellac manicure. Not I, alas. Mine grow very rapidly, and the regrowth area was noticeable after as little as a week, especially on my thumbnails, and extremely noticeable after two weeks. And the thing is, you can't just touch up the unpainted area, or even remove the whole lot, as you could have if you'd done the job yourself at home with conventional polish. Even the removal of the shellac needs to be done professionally with (I presume) special products; it's not something that is recommended for you to attempt yourself with ordinary nail polish remover.

If money were no object, I'd have my nails done every week, to avoid the regrowth. Since I can't afford that, I'll probably be looking at every two to three weeks from now on. So if your nails are as fast-growing as mine are, this is something you need to take into account. If you need your polish to last a long time before your next appointment (for instance, if you're going away on holiday), perhaps a colour that's close to your natural nail colour might make the regrowth a bit less noticeable? I went to a job interview on Day 24, and I was very conscious that my nails were showing a lot of regrowth. I just hope that the fact that the colour was a very pale pink made it not quite so obvious. (Normally I would have had them redone before Day 24, but Andrea was taking a couple of weeks off over Christmas/New Year, as she's perfectly entitled to do, so it wasn't possible to get an earlier appointment.)

But this regrowth problem is neither a criticism of the product itself, nor of Andrea's skill with it. It's just a fact that you need to consider: nails grow, you can't deal with the regrowth yourself, so if you want nails that always look their best, you should be aware that you'll be committing yourself to a series of regular appointments. I will definitely be doing so, at least for a while yet. The end result is so good that I think it's worth it.

UPDATE 18 April 2012: I've now had six manicures from Andrea, and I'm still just as happy as I was after the first one. Two more things about her service are worth mentioning:

(1) She has a great loyalty program. After you have had a certain number of shellac manicures, your next one is free. Fantastic value.

(2) If you have a nail that is starting to break across the nail bed, don't panic - make an appointment with Andrea ASAP. She can't do much if your nail has completely broken off, but as long as part of it is still attached, she can perform what's called a "silk repair" to reattach the broken section. It's amazingly strong; so far, all my silk repairs have stayed in place long enough for the broken bit to grow out. And what's more, a silk repair is close to invisible; viewed side-on, the polish is sometimes very slightly thicker than on the other nails, but viewed from above, it looks just the same, so much so that I keep forgetting which are the nails that have had the silk repair.

On my most recent visit, 8 days ago, Andrea reattached a nail that had already broken two-thirds of the way across the nail bed. It was hanging by not much more than a thread. I thought it was beyond hope, and told her she might as well cut it off, but she said "no, I think I can save this one." The result is just beautiful; you now can't tell that it had ever been broken, and I have every confidence that the silk repair will last until my next visit (13 days away). Top marks, Andrea.

UPDATE 21 Aug 2012: Twelve shellac manicures to date, including two freebies (under the loyalty scheme I mentioned above). Still delighted with the product, and with Andrea's first class service.

A small correction to my earlier review. I wrote, "Each coat of shellac literally dries in seconds under the UV lamp, so there is no chance of smudging." Not quite. It's certainly fast, but only the FINAL coat is guaranteed smudge-proof; until that final coat goes on, don't be fooled by how dry it seems. Be careful not to absentmindedly touch your clothes or your hair until the whole process is finished, or you'll deposit a layer of lint onto the not-quite-set polish. Also be careful when inserting your hand into the slot of the UV lamp. The opening is big, but it's still surprisingly easy to misjudge it, bang a nail against the plastic casing, and smudge the polish. After one visit when I managed to do all those things and make a mess of Andrea's lovely work which she then had to fix up, I've learned my lesson. I now pay attention to where my hands are until after that final coat of polish is dry.

Approximate cost: $40 for shellac

Andrea is very professional and a gorgeous young lady. Since discovering Shellac I have not a had any good experiences with the other salons offering this product until I discovered Nail Couture by Andrea. She has restored my faith in Shellac! Shellac now lasts a good 3 weeks for me which is fantastic as it didn't pass a week with other salons. I highly recommend Andrea, she always does a perfect job on both shellac and Bio sculpture. I would never consider going to anyone else again! Thanks for a brilliant job every time Andrea!

Approximate cost: $40 to $60

I love my Shellac nails! I live in Adelaide but come to Melbourne every 3 weeks for work and since discovering Andrea and her services no one else will do! My shellac manicure always lasts the 3 weeks without any chips. I always get complements on my nails since Andrea started to do my Shellac manicure.Thanks Andrea for a great job every time xx

Approximate cost: $40 to $45

Really love my gel nails. Andrea is lovely and very professional. I have had this service done once before and the woman left me with bleeding cuticles - the experience was very unpleasant. Andrea has restored my confidence in manicurists. I travel from Warranwood - it's so worth it. I love that my nails are chip-free for so long!!!

I was impressed by Andrea's website, so decided to travel from Donvale to have shellac manicure. I will certainly be going back to her. She is a really lovely young woman who has a lot of pride in her work. She explains everything about the product she is using and gives handy hints to make the shellac nails last for as long as they can. She doesn't tell you that you must come back at 2 weeks, just leaves that up to you. My nails aren't a great shape, or my fingers as well, but she made them look the best they ever have. Thanks A, you are the best.

Approximate cost: $40

andrea is always flexible with appointments and her shellac nail polish stays on for up to 3-4 weeks

Approximate cost: $40

I have tried Shellac at other salons and they never lasted the promised 14 days until I met Andrea of Nail Couture by Andrea. Now my Shellac manicure stays chip-free and shiny for up to 3 weeks..amazing! I have also tried bio sculpture gel with Andrea and highly recommend her service. I will never try another nail tech again, there is no better then Andrea!

Approximate cost: $40 to $60

I get my shellac manicure at nail couture by andrea and absolutely love it. Andrea really is the best! I always get 2 to 3 weeks out of my mani and people are always complementing on how fantastic my nails look. Thanks heaps Andrea, you really are the best nail tech out there!